Author: GWRCCC Staff Published: 9/10/2023 The GWRCCC Report

September 2023 Edition

A Message from the

Executive Director

As the summer comes to an end, the students return to school and college and the leaves begin to turn, GWRCCC is on the move making a difference for you, our region, and country. In August GWRCCC supported multiple applications for the U.S. EPA’s Clean School Bus Grant application, to help our youth travel to school on buses with cleaner air. Additionally, GWRCCC supported and participated in over 12 applications for funding with U.S. DOE and other agencies. We understand the importance of this transformative moment in clean and sustainable energy and transportation and are excited to support these funding opportunities.

Additional advocacy this summer included submitting recommendations to the DC City Council on ways they can accelerate public EV charging access at District buildings, train and transit stations. GWRCCC is also working to increase the number of biodiesel vehicles in DC, Maryland and Virginia. This Fall, GWRCCC will host a series of virtual and in-person forums and meetings on expanding access to biodiesel at local public and private fueling stations. Also, congratulations to SESI, Chevron/REG and Prince George’s County. Our collective efforts helped PGC Public Works and Transportation secure a Maryland grant for biodiesel in county vehicles.

We are only a few weeks away from the GWRCCC Annual Conference which will be held October 3 (Pre-Conference) & October 4 (Conference) in Largo, Maryland (about 30 minutes from Downtown DC). The conference will include workshops, signature speakers, a display of alternative vehicles, exhibitors, an awards luncheon, a Happy Hour, and provide training, business, and networking opportunities. Buy your tickets, souvenir journal ads (buy 30^th Anniversary of Clean Cities ad) and call the office at 202-671-1580 about sponsorship opportunities!

Finally, GWRCCC proudly supports Hispanic Heritage Month, Yom Kippur, and Drive Electric Week.

Sincerely,

Antoine M. Thompson

Executive Director

Fleet Coaching

GWRCCC is offering 30 minutes of coaching for a limited number of fleets each month.

For more information, contact the office at (202) 671-1580.

Subtainable Technology Conference

GWRCCC EVENT

September 2023’s Monthly Stakeholders’ Meeting

Thursday, September 14, 2023

10:00 AM via Zoom

September 2023’s Stakeholders’ Meeting will focus on clean energy, environmental and transportation updates from local industry leaders.

For more information and to register click here.

Green Jobs Fair

Prince George’s County

8001 Sheriff Road

Landover, MD 20785

October 18, 2023, 10 AM – 1 PM

Job Seekers and Employers are welcome!

For more information or to register, click here.

Green Jobs Fair

Washington DC

2000 14th Street, NW

Washington, DC

November 8, 2023, 10 AM – 1 PM

Job Seekers and Employers are welcome!

For more information or to register, click here.

You still have a little time to submit your nominations!

Submit Your Nomination(s) Here!

2023 Annual Conference

Join the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition on October 4, 2023, at the Homewood Suites. Don’t miss…

EV/Alternative Fuels Vehicle Showcase
Opening Ceremony
Panel Discussions
Awards Luncheon
Exhibitors
Networking Reception

Hotel Accommodations

For booking at the Homewood Suites using the following unique link:

Homewood Suites

For booking at the Doubletree Hotel using the following unique link:

Doubletree Hotel

Sponsorship | Advertising | Exhibitor Spaces

Sponsorship opportunities are available now. Take advantage of the opportunity to support GWRCCC and to promote your business. Click here for more information.

Place an ad within our Souvenir Journal. For more information, click here.

Exhibitor spaces are available. For more information, click here.

Agenda

To review the agenda, click here.

For more information, contact Kimberly Harden at KimberlyHarden@GWRCCC.org for more information.

National Drive Electric Week

Local Events

National Drive Electric Week

Drive Electric Poolesville Day Event

Day: Saturday, September 23, 2023

Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm EDT

Location: Town of Poolesville

19950 Fisher Ave

Poolesville, MD 20837

Click here for more information.

National Drive Electric Week

EV in DC

Day: Saturday, September 30, 2023

Time: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm EDT

Location: 3rd St west of the US Capitol

Washington, DC 20560

Click here for more information.

National Drive Electric Week

Clarksville Commons Electric Vehicle Show

Day: Saturday, September 30, 2023

Time: 3:00 – 6:00 pm EDT

Location: Clarksville Commons

12230 Clarksville Pike

Clarksville, MD 21029

Click here for more information.

National Drive Electric Week

Northern Virginia EV Showcase – Electrify your Ride

Day: Sunday, October 1, 2023

Time: 1:00 – 5:00 pm EST

Location: George Mason University

Lot L

Roanoke River Lane and Po River Lane

Fairfax, VA 22030

Click here for more information.

Click here to listen to the August 31, 2023, podcast with Optimus Technologies CEO, Colin Huwyler.

The Maryland Department of Environment recently released an initial analysis of the actions the state can take to cut climate pollution 60% by 2031. And they are asking YOU to share your vision for climate action in the state.

RSVP here for a listening session today

The Center for Global Sustainability and the Maryland Department of Environment will host six listening sessions this July–September to collect public input that will inform Maryland’s final climate plan. We hope you’ll join us at one of the listening sessions around the state!

Below are the dates:

· 9/12 — Morgan State University [6:00 pm]

· 9/19 — College of Southern Maryland [6:00 pm]

· 9/26 — Virtual [6:00 pm]

GWRCCC would like your help as we gather input on our constituent’s level of interest for electric vehicles. We greatly appreciate your time to complete our 30 second survey which will help us better educate and advocate for electric vehicle infrastructure, programs and initiatives in the Greater Washington Region and the nation.

DOE’s State and Community Energy Program has an open funding opportunity announcement for Energy Future Grants: Creating a Community-Led Energy Future. The Energy Future Grants (EFG) provides $27 million in financial assistance to support local, state, and tribal government-led partnership efforts that will advance clean energy program innovation. EFG will provide support for at least 50 multijurisdictional teams. Teams should be ideally comprised of 3-4 or more state, local, and/or tribal government partners joining together on a planning project. The deadline to apply is Sept. 30, 2023.

On August 30, 2023, Metro received a $104 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), delivered at a celebration at the Cinder Bed Road Bus Garage which will be converted to exclusively serve battery-electric buses with funds from the grant.

The Low or No Emission Vehicle grant will help Metro achieve its accelerated timeline to transition nine bus garages and nearly 1600 buses to zero-emission by 2042. FTA Deputy Administrator Veronica Vanterpool delivered the grant at a celebration that included U.S. Congressman Gerry Connolly, Fairfax Board of Supervisors Chair Jeff McKay, Metro Board Chair Paul C. Smedberg, and Metro General Manager, Antoine M. Thompson, Executive Director of GWRCCC and Chief Executive Officer Randy Clarke.

Metro is partnering with Fairfax County on the conversion of the Cinder Bed Road facility, a portion of which is planned to be used by the county to house and charge their all-electric Bus Rapid Transit service running from Fort Belvoir to Huntington Metrorail Station by 2030. The grant will also support the purchase of battery-electric Metrobuses for the region, and workforce development and training.

GWRCCC is proud to have supported the application and other efforts of Metro to green its fleet.

The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration (FTA) last week announced the availability of approximately $13.4 million in competitive grant funds through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning. The funding will support local planning and investment near transit hubs to promote sustainable, livable, and equitable communities.

TOD links public transportation, land use, and housing to create communities that are connected to transit and walkable. TOD planning can reduce transportation costs for American families and reduce their carbon footprint by improving transit access to jobs and services.

To apply for funding, an applicant must be an existing FTA grant recipient – either a project sponsor of an eligible transit project or an entity with land use planning authority in the project corridor. To ensure that work meets the needs of the local community, transit project sponsors and land use planning authorities must partner to conduct the planning work.

FTA will host a webinar on Thursday, August 17, 2023, from 2-3:30 p.m., ET to discuss the requirements for funding, application eligibility and criteria, and the submission process. Participants will learn more about the Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning program and how to apply. The webinar will include an opportunity to ask questions.

Instructions for applying can be found on FTA’s Website here and in GRANTS.GOV (FTA-2023-011-TPE-TODP). When the Federal Register Notice officially publishes on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, complete proposals must be submitted electronically through the GRANTS.GOV “APPLY” function by October 10, 2023.

Department of Energy Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Consumer Electronics Battery Recycling, Reprocessing, and Battery Collection

This Funding Opportunity Announcement will provide funding to support the recycling of consumer electronics batteries and battery-containing devices to help build a robust domestic critical material supply chain for EV batteries in the United States. The program will accomplish this by 1) Increasing participation by consumers in recycling programs; 2) Improving the economics of consumer battery recycling to create a market for recycling; and 3) Increasing the number of these programs, to assist in the establishment or enhancement of state consumer electronics battery collection, recycling, and reprocessing programs and to establish collection points at retailers.

The deadline is November 29, 2023.

There’s less than a month left to apply for the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Grant Program. Applications are due by September 28th, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. eastern time. Applications for the two RCN grant programs may be submitted through Valid Eval at the links below. Customer support for Valid Eval can be reached at support@valideval.com.

· Community Planning Grants and Regional Partnerships Challenge Grants with planning activities.

· Capital Construction Grants and Regional Partnerships Challenge Grants with construction activities.

On August 21st, 2023, an amendment was issued to the RCN Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). As noted in the amended NOFO and posting summary, the amendment includes additional and clarifying language, as well as clerical amendments. These changes are reflected in six key areas: addition of Thriving Communities language; clarification of required planning for capital projects; clarification of construction eligibility; clarification of disadvantaged communities eligibility; clarification of benefit cost analysis (BCA) requirements; and addition of direct recipient language.

This year, the RCN Program includes funding to encourage collaboration and innovation among partners to address equitable access and mobility challenges across their region. A webinar specifically focused on the Regional Partnerships Challenge Grants will take place today at 3:00 p.m. eastern time. Previously recorded webinars and presentation materials are available here. Our FAQs are frequently updated, so please check back often. For further inquiries or questions related to the program, please contact the RCN Team at ReconnectingCommunities@dot.gov.

New Federal EV Tax Credits

The IRS has issued new guidance on electric vehicle (EV) tax credits for 2023.

Manufacturers and Models for New Qualified Clean Vehicles Purchased in 2023 or After

If you bought and placed in service a new qualified plug-in electric vehicle (EV) or fuel cell vehicle (FCV) on January 1, 2023 or later and meet certain income limitations, you may be eligible for a clean vehicle tax credit up to $7,500.

Credits for New Clean Vehicles Purchased in 2023 or After

If you buy a new plug-in electric vehicle (EV) or fuel cell vehicle (FCV) in 2023 or after, you may qualify for a clean vehicle tax credit. Find out if you qualify.

New Alternative Fuels Tax Credits and Grants

A dozen new tax credits and grants have been released for alternative fuels by the Federal government and are available online at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center. Tax credits for biofuels, electric vehicles and related infrastructure are included. Grants include port electrification programs under the EPA.

For More Information

Recompete Pilot Program Funding Opportunity Released to Bring Focused Investments to Distressed Communities

EDA is now accepting applications for the new $200 million Recompete Pilot Program, which is designed to make focused investments in communities most in need of economic resources and options to ensure that all communities have a path to economic prosperity.

The program is based on the belief that communities know best what they need to address persistent economic distress. EDA will partner with communities and make large, flexible investments based on their priorities.

This program, authorized through the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, targets areas where prime-age (25-54 years) employment significantly trails the national average, with the goal to close this gap through bottom-up, long-term strategies that tackle a community’s unique economic challenges.

Resources for Applicants

To support applicants in determining geographic eligibility, EDA – in partnership with Argonne National Laboratory – released the Recompete Eligibility Mapping Tool. Please click here to access the tool, which includes a user-friendly map and instructional materials. Additional resources, including Fact Sheets and FAQs, can be found at eda.gov/Recompete.

Informational Webinars

EDA will host two informational webinars on July 7 and July 11, 2023, about the Recompete Pilot Program. To register, click here: July 7 ^th at 12:00 pm EDT and July 11 ^th at 4:30 pm EDT.

Program Structure

This first Recompete Pilot Program NOFO allows applicants to apply for (1) Strategy Development Grants, (2) approval of a Recompete Plan, or (3) both. EDA anticipates awarding approximately $6 million to $12 million in total for Strategy Development Grants and approving at least 20 Recompete Plans at the conclusion of Phase 1. Applicants with approved Recompete Plans will be invited to submit a Phase 2 application. EDA expects to announce Phase 1 winners and release the Phase 2 NOFO in winter 2023.

In Phase 2, applicants can apply for larger implementation awards. EDA expects to make approximately 4-8 implementation investments, with awarded regions receiving between $20 million and $50 million on average.

The Phase 1 NOFO deadline is October 5, 2023.

Click Here to Read Today’s Phase 1 Notice of Funding Opportunity

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is now accepting applications for the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program.

USDOT will host an “Interested in Applying?” webinar for prospective applicants on Tuesday, July 11th from 1:30 to 3:30 PM EDT. There is no need to register – simply use the appropriate webinar link at the designated time. The webinar will also be recorded and posted on the RCN website for later viewing.

In Fiscal Year 2023 (that’s now!), the RCN Program will provide up to $3.16 billion for planning activities and capital construction projects that:

· Prioritize disadvantaged communities,

· Aim to improve access to daily destinations such as jobs, education, healthcare, food, and recreation,

· Foster equitable development and restoration, and

· Reconnect communities by removing, retrofitting, mitigating, or replacing highways or other transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity, including to mobility, access, or economic development

Visit the RCN Program website to access the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and learn more about eligibility, funding, the application and submission processes, and evaluation criteria. The website will also be regularly updated with links to future webinars that explore specific RCN topic areas.

The application submission deadline is Thursday, September 28, 2023. The RCN Program welcomes applications from diverse eligible applicants regardless of size, location, and experience administering Federal funding awards.

Thinking about installing workplace charging? Greater Washington Region Clean Cities has joined Clean Cities coalitions across the country in the Equitable Mobility Powering Opportunities for Workplace Electrification Readiness

(EMPOWER) program. It’s the first and only equity-focused, nationwide workplace charging program in the United States.

The Clean Cities coalitions will reach out to around 2,000 workplaces with the goal of bringing 650 workplaces onboard with EMPOWER and installing 3,500 electric vehicle supply (EVSE) ports. In addition to providing a much needed benefit for employees, installing workplace charging will help meet the Washington, DC targets of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 85% and reducing oil usage by 95%.

One of EMPOWER’s specific goals aims to ensure that of the EVSEs installed at workplaces, 40% will be installed at workplaces with historically underserved demographics. This includes workplaces owned by women or minorities, workplaces with majority-minority workforces, or with employees who live in areas which are rural, formerly redlined, low-income, or have low air quality.

Contact Dianne Little at DianneLittle@GWRCCC.org to learn more.

Kerb-E Free Curbside Charger From Montgomery County Energy

Are you struggling to find a place to charge your EV? If you live in Montgomery County and park your EV on the street, overnight – Kerb-e wants to hear from you. If you drive an EV (or will soon purchase one), and do not have access to dedicated off-street parking, sign up for more information on getting a charger installed outside your residence. Kerb-e will fund the installation and hardware for your charging needs.

New Cybersecurity Resource for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Purchasers

The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office) today released sample cybersecurity procurement language clauses that can be modified for use in requests for proposals (RFPs) and electric vehicle service provider (EVSP) contracts.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory helped the Joint Office develop the resources to address cybersecurity risks when building out electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE).

With the procurement language as a guide, states and EVSE purchasers can reinforce cybersecurity as essential to the complete life cycle of the EVSE—from origination to discharge of contract.

Read the news article on the Joint Office Website to learn more about the cybersecurity clauses.